Tilting seat with lowered joint

Abstract

A tilting seat for operators in a controlled environment, particularly for surgeons and the like, comprising a saddle, a chest support, a forehead support and a leg support connected to a base standing on the ground, such that the saddle, the chest support, the forehead support and the leg support are integrally movable with rotation about a horizontal-axis joint placed below the saddle, keeping the space over the joint free from movable elements while in use, guaranteeing the substantial lack of contamination in such space.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A surgical seat comprising:
 a saddle, 
 a chest support, 
 at least one leg support and 
 a base, 
 wherein the saddle, the chest support and the at least one leg support are connected to the base by a yoke and a vertical piston mechanism, the yoke comprising a horizontal-axis joint placed below the saddle, and 
 the saddle, the chest support and the at least one leg support are configured to be integrally movable with respect to the base when an operator is sitting on the surgical seat, with movements comprising: 
 i) integral rotation of the saddle, the chest support and the at least one leg support about the horizontal-axis joint through body pressure of the operator on the saddle and the chest support, and 
 ii) vertical extension of the vertical piston mechanism. 
 
     
     
       2. The surgical seat according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one leg support comprises two leg supports. 
     
     
       3. The surgical seat according to  claim 1 , further comprising a forehead support rigidly linkable to the chest support. 
     
     
       4. The surgical seat according to  claim 1 , wherein the base comprises a vertical-axis body and feet extending from the body along substantially radial directions. 
     
     
       5. The surgical seat according to  claim 4 , wherein the feet are at least four feet, at least two feet of said at least four feet having greater radial extension than other feet of said at least four feet. 
     
     
       6. The surgical seat according to  claim 4 , wherein the feet are substantially angularly equally spaced. 
     
     
       7. The surgical seat according to  claim 1 , wherein the base comprises lockable wheels. 
     
     
       8. The surgical seat according to  claim 1 , wherein the horizontal-axis joint is configured to elastically yield in a controlled way under weight of an operator of the surgical seat. 
     
     
       9. The surgical seat according to  claim 1 , wherein the saddle, the chest support and the at least one leg support are further integrally movable with further rotation about a vertical-axis rotatable support housed in a body of the base. 
     
     
       10. The surgical seat according to  claim 9 , wherein the vertical-axis rotatable support is limited in rotation on a horizontal plane to an angle equal to or lower than 90°. 
     
     
       11. The surgical seat according to  claim 1 , wherein the rotation about the horizontal-axis joint is limited to an angle equal to or lower than 50°. 
     
     
       12. The surgical seat according to  claim 11 , wherein the base comprises a vertical-axis body and feet having substantially equal length and extending from the body along substantially radial directions. 
     
     
       13. The surgical seat according to  claim 11 , wherein the angle is between a laying axis, substantially parallel to an axis of a bust of an operator sitting on the surgical seat and laying the bust against the chest support and a vertical axis of the surgical seat. 
     
     
       14. The surgical seat according to  claim 1 , the surgical seat further comprising a counterweight integral with the saddle. 
     
     
       15. The surgical seat according to  claim 1 , further comprising at least one sterile cloth covering at least one of said saddle, said chest support or said at least one leg support. 
     
     
       16. The surgical seat according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one of said saddle, said chest support or said at least one leg support is adjustable into an operative position prior to use, said operative position being unmodifiable in use. 
     
     
       17. The surgical seat of  claim 1 , wherein the vertical piston mechanism is a vertical calibrated piston mechanism. 
     
     
       18. The surgical seat of  claim 1 , wherein the surgical seat is configured to enable the operator sitting on the surgical seat to operate within a sterility zone, and the horizontal-axis joint is located below the saddle and outside the sterility zone during the saddle- and chest-activated integral rotation of the saddle, the chest support and the at least one leg support. 
     
     
       19. A seat comprising:
 a saddle, 
 a horizontal-axis joint placed below the saddle, 
 a chest support, 
 at least one leg support and 
 a base, 
 wherein the saddle, the chest support and the at least one leg support are configured to be integrally movable with respect to the base when an operator is sitting on the seat, with rotation about the horizontal-axis joint and are further integrally movable with further rotation about a vertical-axis rotatable support housed in a body of the base, and 
 the vertical-axis rotatable support is limited in rotation on a horizontal plane to an angle equal to or lower than 90°. 
 
     
     
       20. A seat comprising:
 a saddle, 
 a horizontal-axis joint placed below the saddle, 
 a chest support, 
 at least one leg support, 
 a base, and 
 a counterweight integral with the saddle, 
 wherein the saddle, the chest support and the at least one leg support are configured to be integrally movable with respect to the base when an operator is sitting on the seat, with rotation about the horizontal-axis joint.